Polymeric quaternary ammonium compounds (also known as ionene polymers or polymeric quats) containing chlorides and bromides as anions have been shown to be aquatic bactericides and algicides (U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,874,870, 3,931,319, 4,027,202, and 4,581,058). In fact, Busan.RTM. 77 polymer, an ionene chloride, is sold commerically as an algicide and bactericide for various aquatic systems, such as water cooling devices, swimming pools, and fresh water holding tanks. However, these polymeric quats could stand improvement. In particular, it would be significant to develop polymeric quats that are even better fungicides, and also are faster in killing bacteria.
The present invention can constitute such an improvement an describes compounds, some of which are novel, which contain trihalide as the counter ion to the quaternary nitrogens in the polymer chain and which are useful as aquatic microbicides, disinfectants for human skin, and surface disinfectants or sanitizers. Representative trihalides useful in the present invention include Br.sub.3 -, I.sub.3 -, ClI.sub.2 -, ClBr.sub.2 - and Br.sub.2 - is the preferred trihalide.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,778,476 and 3,898,336 describe the preparation of some of these compounds. The disclosure of these patents is specifically incorporated by reference herein. The compounds of these two patents are proposed therein for use in coating substrates to provide an antibacterial layer for an application such as surgical sutures. The present invention is the method of using ionene trihalides to disinfect or sanitize surfaces and provide microorganism control in aquatic systems and also includes some novel trihalide compounds.